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Lightning at Canes, Game Day Preview

Carolina Hurricanes' Tim Gleason, top, reacts following teammate Erik Cole's goal to tie an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009. Carolina won 6-5 in a shootout. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

More photos » Gerry Broome - AP

4 months ago: Carolina Hurricanes' Tim Gleason, top, reacts following teammate Erik Cole's goal to tie an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009. Carolina won 6-5 in a shootout. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

The Carolina Hurricanes, (4-12-5), are starting to feel better about themselves as they enter into a contest at the RBC tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, (8-4-7).  After a disastrous last place start, the team now has earned points in four straight games and has won two of their last three. 

Still, the club has only one regulation win in their first 21 games this season and has yet to win a game on the road, but the play on the ice is better than it was and the Canes are riding high off the emotional comeback win over the Maple Leafs on Thursday night.  Can they continue to build on that win?

Carolina sent defenseman Bryan Rodney back to Albany yesterday with expectations that Joni Pitkanen would be ready to play tonight.  Indeed, number 25 was on the ice at the morning skate, so he will return to the lineup against the Lightning.

Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice has done a lot of shuffling of his lines recently and moved team captain Rod Brind'Amour to the fourth line against the Leafs.  The Charlotte Observer has information about the captain's struggles in this article.  Brind'Amour seems to have accepted his demotion with class, as one would expect.

But no complaints Friday from the captain.

"It's all about winning," Brind'Amour said. "Obviously you want to contribute, and I haven't been doing that. It's a little bit frustrating, but you just try to stay positive.

"It's always frustrating when you don't play. Ask anybody who has been in that situation. But that's the way it goes."

Maurice also mentioned that the long time center would probably be moved to wing when Eric Staal gets back into the lineup. They tried that earlier this year with minimal success.

At the pregame skate, Yelle worked out on both the third line and the fourth line, so don't be surprised if there is continued shuffling tonight.

Star-divide

The Hurricanes are led by Ray Whitney and Tuomo Ruutu.  Both have been scoring well recently although Brandon Sutter has the longest point streak going on the team and has points in the last four games.


GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT
2009 - Ray Whitney 19 6 8 14 -3 6 1 0 0 0 38 15.8


GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT
2009 - Tuomo Ruutu 18 5 9 14 1 23 1 0 0 0 50 10.0


GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT
2009 - Brandon Sutter 12 5 4 9 -1 0 1 0 0 0 35 14.3

 

The Tampa Bay Lightning have surprised a few people so far this year and are right in the thick of things in the East.  Currently, they find themselves in second place in the division with 23 points.


Southeast Standings

GP W L OTL PT
Washington 22 13 5 4 30
Tampa Bay 19 8 4 7 23
Atlanta 18 10 6 2 22
Florida 20 9 9 2 20
Carolina 21 4 12 5 13

(updated 11.21.2009 at 8:36 AM EST)


The Bolts are led by Steven Stamkos, Ryan Malone, Martin St. Louis, and Vincent Lecavalier.


GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT
2009 - Steven Stamkos 19 14 8 22 6 10 6 1 1 0 59 23.7


GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT
2009 - Ryan Malone 19 13 8 21 8 12 4 0 4 0 55 23.6


GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT
2009 - Martin St. Louis 19 4 16 20 1 2 2 0 0 0 65 6.2


GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT
2009 - Vincent Lecavalier 19 4 14 18 -1 8 0 0 0 0 67 6.0


Manny Legace will get the nod in net for the Canes.  I'm not sure who will start for the Lightning, either Smith or Nittymaki.  (I'll leave an update when I find out).


GP MIN W L T EGA GA GAA SA SV SV% SO
2009 - Manny Legace 4 226 1 1 14 3.72 111 97 .874 0


GP MIN W L T EGA GA GAA SA SV SV% SO
2009 - Antero Niittymaki 10 591 5 1 19 1.93 314 295 .939 0


GP MIN W L T EGA GA GAA SA SV SV% SO
2009 - Mike Smith 10 583 3 3 33 3.40 290 257 .886 0

The Hurricanes had some other good news at the morning skate, as Eric Staal joined in with the team.  He will not play tonight, but is very close to returning to action.

Tidbits:

Joe Corvo is second in the NHL in average ice time per game at 26:47 per contest.

While the team has not won a game on the road, they are 4-5-2 at the RBC.

Carolina has played to overtime four consecutive games and to shootouts in their last three.

The Canes are 14 for 95 on the powerplay, good for 14.7% and 25th in the league.  They are 78 for 98 on the penalty kill, good for 79.6% and 18th in the league.

The team's faceoff percentage is 49% which is 19th in the league.

They have improved their goals per game average to 2.24 which is 29th in the league.  They allow 3.67 goals per game which is also 29th in the league.

Carolina's 5 on 5 goalsfor/against ratio is 30th in the league at .65.

The Canes have now lost 64 "man games" due to injuries, but don't feel too sorry for them because that is not even close to being the worst in the NHL.  James Mirtle recently performed a study and rated the Hurricanes at about 10th in the league.  Both Vancouver and Edmonton have over 100 man games lost, year to date, and Colorado is not far behind.  

The game will be televised locally by FS Carolinas and can be caught at 99.9 The Fan. I will be reporting from the game and will have an Open Thread starting about 6:30 while the puck drops at 7. 

Check out the latest about the Lightning at Raw Charge.

0 recs  |  Comment 10 comments |

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Go Canes. Man it’s friggin’ cold down here in Raleigh today!!!!

A

The Canes are like a box of expired chocolates......

by Paladin6 on Nov 21, 2009 12:19 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Mike Smith will be starting for Tampa Bay in net

The Bolts are starting a back-to-back series and odds are they want Antero Niittymaki and his hot-hand streak ready for tomorrow in Atlanta (he’s 13-0 there in his career).

To strive, to seek, to find, and to forever keep it Raw. Raw Charge.

by John Fontana on Nov 21, 2009 12:45 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Smith

Glad to see Smith starting in net. Niittymaki always seemed to give the Canes fits when he was with Philly. Unless I’m “misremembering”

-m

by UTTRmartin on Nov 21, 2009 4:03 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Interesting to see if they can carry that confidence into tonight. Perhaps a couple of the lines are gelling a little; be nice to get a little chemistry going on the team.

Also interesting to see if Gleas is going to be used in a more offensive role. Guy seems to have a decent shot and he is shooting the puck, at least better than Corvo right now (better as in at least putting it on net).

Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader

by Ivan459 on Nov 21, 2009 3:35 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Pitts and Rodney

While I’m very glad to hear Pitkanen will be back, I have to say I’m really bummed that Rodney is back in Albany.

I know it’s a numbers game, but even with his sometimes shaky play in the defensive zone Rodney made up for it with some offensive pizazz, especially on the power play, and overall energy on the ice. As opposed to say, A Ward who has been retched on defense and contributes nothing offensively. Sigh.

Go Canes!

-m

by UTTRmartin on Nov 21, 2009 4:06 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Look at the sog for the leading bolts players-over twenty percent more than even Ruutu.

by EricinSC on Nov 21, 2009 4:55 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Still only a shot a game at his point in the year.

Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt

by MichaelProcton on Nov 21, 2009 4:58 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Congrats, fellas...

Just got linked as an information source at Rotoworld.com (regarding Legace’s start.)

I’ll also say that when you’re without your two franchise players, those man games lost are probably more difficult to overcome than missing a fourth-line enforcer.

Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt

by MichaelProcton on Nov 21, 2009 4:57 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

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Southeast Standings

GP W L OTL PT
Washington 72 48 14 10 106
Atlanta 71 31 29 11 73
Carolina 71 30 33 8 68
Tampa Bay 71 28 31 12 68
Florida 70 28 31 11 67

(updated 3.21.2010 at 8:42 AM EDT)

Carolina Hurricanes Roster

# Pos. DOB W H
Zach Boychuk 11 C 10/4/1989 185 5-10
Rod Brind`Amour 17 C 8/9/1970 205 6-1
Brett Carson 27 D 11/29/1985 210 6-4
Erik Cole 26 LW 11/6/1978 205 6-2
Patrick Dwyer 39 RW 6/22/1983 175 5-11
Tim Gleason 6 D 1/29/1983 217 6-0
Jay Harrison 44 D 11/3/1982 211 6-4
Jussi Jokinen 36 LW 4/1/1983 198 5-11
Tom Kostopoulos 29 RW 1/24/1979 200 6-0
Chad LaRose 59 LW 3/27/1982 181 5-10
Manny Legace 34 G 2/4/1973 200 5-10
Jamie McBain 28 D 2/25/1988 200 6-2
Justin Peters 60 G 8/30/1986 205 6-1
Alexandre Picard 45 D 7/5/1985 215 6-3
Joni Pitkanen 25 D 9/19/1983 210 6-3
Brian Pothier 5 D 4/15/1977 204 6-0
Bryan Rodney 33 D 4/22/1984 195 6-0
Tuomo Ruutu 15 LW 2/16/1983 200 6-0
Sergei Samsonov 14 LW 10/27/1978 188 5-8
Eric Staal 12 C 10/29/1984 205 6-4
Brandon Sutter 16 C 2/14/1989 183 6-3
Cam Ward 30 G 2/29/1984 200 6-1
Ray Whitney 13 LW 5/8/1972 180 5-10

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